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The Miracle of Thanksgiving
The Miracle of Thanksgiving is episode nine of season one of Full House. It originally aired on November 20, 1987. Plot Summary It's the family's first Thanksgiving without Pam, and Danny is determined to make the day extra special for the girls. Danny's mother Claire is expected to fly in from Tacoma, Washington, and cook the dinner for Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving morning, Danny, Jesse, and Joey get the news that it’s snowing in Tacoma, and Claire is stranded at home, so she won’t be able to get to her flight to San Francisco. It’s up to Danny, Jesse, and Joey to see to it that the girls have a good Thanksgiving. Joey suggests that they prepare the meal themselves, because it’s the miracle of Thanksgiving. Jesse tells Joey that there’s no miracle of Thanksgiving, but Joey tell him that had the pilgrims landed in Florida, they would be eating flamingo instead of turkey. Danny tells Joey and Jesse that the day has to be perfect. When a still-grumpy Jesse asks why, Danny replies that it’s because it’s the girls’ first Thanksgiving without Pam; with that, Jesse changes his tune and realizes that Danny is right. They gather everything up in the kitchen, but the task looks daunting. Jesse doesn’t think they can do it. Joey reminds them that they have cook books, but the cook book that Joey is reading from seems a bit confusing. D.J. and Stephanie come in, and Danny tells them about Claire not being able to get out of her house, and that they have decided to make reservations at a restaurant. D.J. and Stephanie are a bit disappointed, especially D.J. She explains that Pam always prepared a home-cooked meal for Thanksgiving, and that they should continue to have the traditional festivities at home. Danny admits that he, Jesse, and Joey are nervous about being the ones to prepare the food. D.J. reminds Danny that, a year ago, Pam taught her how to make her picture-perfect pumpkin pie. Stephanie says that she can help with that. D.J. also tells Danny that she talked to Claire on the phone last night, and Claire was going to put D.J. in charge of the turkey. That gives the guys the resolve that they need to give it all a try. The family starts preparing the dinner, while dancing and singing "Get Ready" by The Temptations, as Michelle gives them a strange look. Afterwards, Danny says that they couldn’t have done it without D.J. As Jesse and Joey prepare to carve the turkey, Danny tries to get Michelle to say “turkey.” As D.J. asks Danny if Pam would've been proud of her, Jesse and Joey indicate to Danny that the Turkey is still frozen. Danny puts it back in the oven. D.J., who doesn’t know that it’s still frozen, tells him not to overcook it, because it’ll get dry. Danny tells her that there’s no danger of that happening. The doorbell rings, and there are two women, Paula and Alexandra, at the door, with a turkey. Danny thinks Jesse might know them, but he says that he doesn’t know them...yet. Jesse invites them in, and the family learns that Paula and Alexandra are sisters. They explain that their Uncle Henry just moved to San Francisco, and they’re trying to find his house, but it looks like they got the wrong address. They ask if they can use the phone, and Danny tells them that they can. Danny has D.J. and Stephanie take Michelle upstairs, and he tells Jesse and Joey that he has a plan. Danny, not wanting D.J. to be devastated that the turkey didn’t turn out right, wants Jesse to charm the ladies into staying for dinner because they have a hot turkey with them. Paula and Alexandra, having finished their call, go to leave. Jesse’s attempt to work his magic with Paula and Alexandra doesn’t work, because it turns out that Paula and Alexandra are both married. Jesse tells Danny to have a go at it, and Danny offers $100 for the turkey. They’re surprised, and he ups the offer to $125, and then $140, and then $150. While preparing drinks in the kitchen, Joey gets his tongue stuck in a bottle. Joey tries everything to get the bottle off, including closing a drawer on the bottle, and trying to pull his tongue out, and then he wedges the bottle into the back of one of the kitchen chairs in another effort to pull it off of his tongue. That’s when he sees smoke coming from the stove. The turkey has been in for too long. Joey runs to the living room, with the bottle still stuck to his tongue, and still holding the chair with the bottle wedged in it, trying to communicate what’s going on to Danny and Jesse. Paula and Alexandra get spooked, and leave as Danny offers $200 for the turkey. Joey gets Danny and Jesse to go to the kitchen, and they get the turkey out of the oven, but it’s black. D.J. and Stephanie see it when they bring Michelle back downstairs. Danny admits to D.J. that the turkey was still a little frozen, so he put it back in the oven and turned it up all the way. D.J. feels bad that she didn’t defrost the turkey enough. Stephanie, grabbing the pumpkin pie, tells D.J. not to feel bad, because they still have the pumpkin pie...and then Stephanie drops the pie on the floor. Stephanie feels terrible that the pie got ruined, and D.J. blames herself for what happened to the turkey. They both go upstairs. Danny says he’ll talk to D.J., and Joey says he’ll talk to Stephanie. But Jesse tells Joey to hold Michelle, and Jesse easily pops the bottle off of Joey’s tongue. Jesse goes upstairs to talk to Stephanie. Michelle actually says "turkey" to Joey. D.J. tells Danny that she feels like she let Pam down. Danny explains to D.J. that Pam knew that Thanksgiving is not about the turkey, but about family, and about being thankful for what you have. Danny tells D.J. that he’s thankful to have her, because she’s the one who pulled the family together to try to prepare the food. Danny admits that he felt so bad about the turkey being frozen that he offered Paula and Alexandra $200 for their turkey. D.J. tells Danny that it was crazy to do that. D.J. jokingly tells him that he should've told her the truth, and then given her the $200 to make her feel better. Danny and D.J. manage to make each other feel better about the situation. Danny tells D.J. that she always has a smile for him when he needs one. D.J. reminds him that Pam always said that smiles are free, so give them away. Jesse tells Stephanie that everyone makes mistakes. To show Stephanie an example of what he means, Jesse takes her to his room, gets out a photo album, and shows her a picture from when he was younger. When Jesse was 5-years-old and Pam was 10, he let her cut his hair because she told him that she was in beauty school. During the talk, Danny comes in with D.J., and she and Stephanie decide to make a new pumpkin pie, without dropping it. Danny ushers D.J. and Stephanie out of the room. Looking through the photo album, Jesse tells Pam that she missed a great thanksgiving. Danny returns to the room, and he realizes that since Jesse is Pam’s brother, and they grew up together, it’s really hard being without her during the holidays, because Jesse had more Thanksgivings with her than anyone else in the house did. At first, Jesse doesn’t want to talk about it, and then Jesse asks Danny when it’s going to stop hurting so much. Jesse admits that he keeps thinking that the pain will go away, but it doesn’t. When he sees pictures of Pam, and the pictures make him think about her, he feels empty. Danny tells Jesse that he knows the feeling, and that he doesn’t think it ever completely goes away. Danny tells Jesse that he knows that on days like Thanksgiving, it’s really hard. He says that Jesse doesn’t have to go through it alone. Jesse tells Danny that he misses Pam, and it’s really hard to talk about it. Danny says that what helps him is talking about the memories, because that’s what keeps her in his heart. Jesse shares a memory with Danny, about how he got even with Pam for chopping up his hair, by coloring her hair red, white and blue, using vanilla pudding, and red and blue finger paint. Danny and Jesse laugh, and Danny tells Jesse that he’s glad Jesse’s there. Later, at the table, Danny says grace, and Jesse mentions that his parents are in Orange County with his father’s goofy relatives. Joey mentions his father, and his father’s third wife, Janice, and he also mentions that his mother is on a Thanksgiving gambling junket to Atlantic City. The guys and the girls start eating Thanksgiving dinner. Quotes Danny: Look, all I know is, everything today has to be absolutely perfect. Jesse: sounding grumpy Why? Danny: Because it's the girls' first Thanksgiving without their mother. Jesse: Danny is right Oh, that's right, man. It's gotta be rough on them. to Joey I mean, we got to make this a fun day. We got to make it a great day for these girls. ---- Danny: Okay, it's quiz time. How is Thanksgiving gonna be? Stephanie: Super great! Danny: Ding ding ding! That's correct. And now, D.J. to tie. How is Thanksgiving gonna be? Stephanie: buzzer Time's up. What do I win? ---- D.J.: she and Danny walk into Danny’s room and sit on the small table in front of the bed Dad, you don’t have to tell me. I know I ruined Thanksgiving for everybody. Danny: You didn’t ruin anything. D.J.: I let Mom down. Danny: Why? Because of the turkey? D.J., Mom knew Thanksgiving wasn’t about turkeys. It’s about family, and being thankful for what we have. I’m thankful I’ve got you. You’re the one who pulled us all together tonight. D.J.: You’re just trying to make me feel better. Danny: Is it working? D.J.: No. Danny: You think you feel bad? I feel worse. D.J.: You couldn’t. Danny: Oh yeah? Wait till I tell you what’s been going on. I felt so bad about your frozen turkey that I offered those ladies $200 for theirs. D.J.: Dad, that’s crazy. You should have just told me the truth and given me the $200. smiles That would have made me feel better. ---- Jesse: When's it gonna stop hurting, man? ... I keep thinking the pain's gonna go away but... it doesn't. I see pictures, I think of her... I get this feeling, this empt... can't bring himself to finish the sentence. Danny: over and sits on the bed I know that feeling, Jesse. And I don't think it ever completely goes away. Sometimes it's easier... but on days like this, it's real hard. But, you don't have to go through this alone. Jesse: I'm missing her, man. This... it's so hard for me to talk about it. Danny: Talking about it, that's what helps me. Talking about the memories. That's what keeps her in your heart. Jesse: Yeah? Danny: Yeah. Jesse: and wipes away a tear Everybody knows the story of how I got my hair all chopped up and everything, but... I bet you don't know how I retaliated. a photo album Look at this. Did you ever see your wife with red, white, and blue hair? Danny: I think she looked cute! How'd you do this? Jesse: Picture this: it was the middle of the night... two things of finger paints, and vanilla pudding. I was a wicked little five-year-old, wasn't I? laugh. Danny: I'm glad you're here, Jesse. ---- the dining table, as with many families, before the Thanksgiving meal, there's a prayer. Danny: Lord, as we gather this Thanksgiving, we wanna thank you for this bountiful... yet slightly overcooked, reheated meal. Everybody: Amen. Danny: But what we're most thankful for... is being part of a family who really loves each other. Everybody: Amen. Jesse: And God bless my mom and dad who are in Orange County with all my dad's goofy relatives. Everybody: Amen. Joey: And I'd just like to say I'm happy to be part of this family and God bless my dad and his third wife... Janice. And to my mom who's on a Thanksgiving gambling junket to Atlantic City. Seven come eleven, Mom. Everybody: Amen. D.J.: Carve the turkey, Dad. Danny: My pleasure. Okay, who wants white meat? D.J.: I do. I want some. Stephanie: Me. Danny: into the burned turkey Okay, scratch the white meat. We have dark meat and really dark meat. Jesse: Yeah. Stephanie: All right. Trivia * This is the only Thanksgiving episode in the Full House series (until Fuller House's "Fuller Thanksgiving"). * The song in the dinner preparation scene is "Get Ready". It was actually performed by the cast (without lip-syncing). * The Season 1 DVD has an option where viewers can watch this episode featuring show trivia. Category:Episodes Category:Season 1 Category:Quotes